Consumers interested in acquiring services must first identify a service provider who is capable of providing the desired services. At present, this usually means perusing a telephone directory, which can become frustrating and time-consuming if the service providers telephoned are not immediately available. Also, a phone book (whether a bound paper book or an electronic directory) is also not very effective if the service provider's business category is not known.
Over the years, a number of systems have been developed that partially address this problem. In particular, these include systems that attempt to match potential customers with potential service providers. They range from free bulletin-board-style Internet web sites to sophisticated Internet-based consulting services.
One such system is similar to an electronic “marketplace.” Users submit via the Internet a description of the services they need to an Internet-based “exchange.” These descriptions include the subject matter of the requested service, time constraints for service delivery, and the proposed price to be paid for the services. The exchange then identifies potential service providers and facilitates bidding for the job by the selected service providers, some of whom may or may not have been selected previously by the user. Once the service providers' bids have been received by the user, the user sends a full job request to one or more service providers of particular interest. The service providers who remain interested in the proposed work then submit a final bid to the user. This bid may also include the service provider's particular qualifications and conditions for accepting the work. After the work has been completed, the service provider contacts the exchange for payment. Although this system is beneficial, users still do not immediately know if a service provider is available and the response from the service provider is neither immediate nor direct.
Another prior art system maintains a list of independent professors available for answering questions via the Internet. The system functions as a middleman between the customer and the professors. The customer contacts the system via the Internet with a question. The system then contacts various service providers within the appropriate field via the Internet and forwards the customer's question to the service providers. Here too, customers do not immediately know if a service provider is available, and the response from the service provider is not immediate.
There is another system that allows users to post via the Internet questions for service providers related to specific topical categories. However, there is no guarantee that a service provider will answer the question as the user does not pay for the services and the service providers are not paid. Again, presuming the service provider is willing to answer a question, users do not immediately know if a service provider is available and the response from the service provider is neither immediate nor direct.
Another system allows users to post questions to an electronic “bulletin board.” Other users, whether service provider or not, provide answers or comments on a voluntary basis. This system, though useful, suffers from many of the same problems as the system described above.
What is needed is a system and method for a user to select an information provider and be connected to that provider in real time. What is further needed is a method and system for finding the user an alternate service provider when the service provider that the user has selected is not available.